Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce won’t be playing on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers due to a knee injury, which will leave Las Vegas without one of its key pass rushers for the season opener.
With Koonce out, Janarius Robinson and Tyree Wilson will get more chances to play.
Robinson, who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings, is listed behind Koonce on the depth chart. He played in six games and started two last season, recording eight tackles and a sack.
Wilson, who was the Raiders’ No. 7 overall pick last year, is hoping to recover from a disappointing rookie season that started off slowly due to a foot injury from his time at Texas Tech.
He played in all 17 games but didn’t start any, finishing with 29 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks.
“Tyree Wilson and J-Rob, those guys have had a lot of opportunities to play,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said Friday. “We expect them to step up and play well.”
Koonce had a strong finish to last season, making all eight of his career-high sacks after November 5 against the New York Giants, with six of those coming in the last four games.
If the injury turns out to be serious, it’s particularly unfortunate for Koonce, who is in the final year of his four-year contract. Pierce mentioned that Koonce got hurt during practice on Thursday.
